Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
16:03
A Fish-feeding Laboratory Bioassay to Assess the Antipredatory Activity of Secondary Metabolites from the Tissues of Marine Organisms
Published on: January 11, 2015
Anticoagulants from marine algae
1School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Portsmouth Polytechnic, UK.
Summary
Marine algae extracts possess anticoagulant properties, mainly due to sulphated polysaccharides. These compounds primarily act via heparin cofactor II (HCII) and also influence antithrombin III (ATIII).
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Anticoagulant properties were discovered in marine algae over 50 years ago.
- More than 60 marine algae species across three divisions exhibit anticoagulant activity.
- The active components are primarily sulphated polysaccharides, some with proteoglycan characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the anticoagulant properties of marine algae.
- To identify the active components responsible for these properties.
- To elucidate the mechanisms of anticoagulant action.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on marine algae extracts and their anticoagulant effects.
- Analysis of the chemical nature of active compounds.
- Investigation of the interaction of these compounds with coagulation factors.
Main Results:
- Sulphated polysaccharides and proteoglycans are the main active components.
- These compounds exert anticoagulant effects primarily through heparin cofactor II (HCII).
- Anticoagulant activity is also mediated by antithrombin III (ATIII) and direct antithrombin effects.
Conclusions:
- Marine algae are a significant source of natural anticoagulants.
- Sulphated polysaccharides are key mediators of anticoagulant activity in these algae.
- Understanding these mechanisms may lead to novel anticoagulant therapies.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Hemostasis is a crucial process that prevents excessive blood loss from damaged blood vessels. It involves various mechanisms such as vasoconstriction, platelet adhesion and activation, and fibrin formation. The importance of each mechanism depends on the type of vessel injury. In contrast, thrombosis is the abnormal formation of a blood clot within the blood vessels, leading to potential complications if the clot obstructs blood flow. Thrombosis can be caused by increased coagulability of the...
01:29Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care
Venous thrombosis requires effective prevention and treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce potential complications.Prevention StrategiesHealthcare providers must prioritize preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) for all adult patients upon admission. Interventions depend on bleeding and thrombosis risk, medical history, current medications, diagnoses, planned procedures, and patient preferences. Patients on bed rest should change positions every two hours and, if not...
01:23Red Algae
Red algae, also known as rhodophytes, are primarily found in marine environments, though some species inhabit freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. These organisms exist in both unicellular and multicellular forms, with some multicellular varieties reaching macroscopic sizes.As phototrophic organisms, red algae contain chlorophyll a; however, their chloroplasts lack chlorophyll b. Instead, they possess phycobiliproteins, which serve as major light-harvesting pigments, similar to those found in...
01:21Green Algae
Green algae, also referred to as chlorophytes, are different from red algae in having the chloroplasts containing chlorophylls a and b, which give them their distinct green hue. However, they lack phycobiliproteins, preventing them from developing the red or blue-green pigmentation seen in red algae. In terms of photosynthetic pigment composition, green algae closely resemble plants and share a close evolutionary relationship with them. Taxonomically Green algae belong to Phylum Chlorophyta in...
01:19Other Algae
The group Stramenopiles include some phototrophic microorganisms. Members of this group possess flagella covered in numerous short, hairlike extensions, a feature that inspired the group's name, derived from the Latin words for "straw" and "hair." Some of the main categories of Stramenopiles include diatoms, golden algae, and brown algae.Diatoms are unicellular, photosynthetic eukaryotes, with over 200 known genera. They play a key role in the planktonic communities of both marine and...
01:15Antifungal Agents
Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...